November 28, 2009

We had a scrumptious and fun Thanksgiving...so many things to be thankful for. Scott and me got up at 4:30 Thursday morning to begin our noon meal preparations. It was the best time. We had our coffee, pondered life and had a good 4 hours till the kids got up and we talked and talked, an act that we "married with children" find NO time to do with the busy-ness of life. It was good. So good. I love him...doesn't he clean up well?

This really makes my heart skip a beat...(what's not to love about a man who mops)

Here we are being silly Thanksgiving morning...

For the last eight years we have prepared our own Thanksgiving feast here at home and then we get together with my family in the evening. Nine grand kids makes it quite fun and crazy! Something we treasure since with so many family members it's hard to find a time to all come together. And darn it! I didn't get any pics! :(

Yesterday, I surprised Sara and Abby with their very own Christmas tree to decorate. We always put the tree up on the day after Thanksgiving but we got rid of our tree (artificial) this past year and I have just not scouted out a new one. We are actually thinking of doing a real tree...a visit to the tree farm in on my to do list today! To keep with tradition, I let the girls decorate the tree with some of their ornaments and here is what theirs look like...

Abby's is pink decorated with lots of princess ornaments and we topped it with a tiara!

Sara liked the tiara idea too...hers matches her room with lots of blue!

November 09, 2009

Well, the last week and a half I've been busy shipping sweet packages out of the Whimsy Shoppe! It's been SO FUN! I've enjoyed getting the emails back from the shoppers and their excitement over their new jewels. It's so fun to wrap up each package and make it pretty! This butterfly necklace is a favorite of both my 10 year old (pictured wearing it) and Whimsy Shoppers alike! In fact, I even wore mine today! Such a fun, vintage looking piece (only two remaining).

Even this chic girl ordered one! It's like having a movie star shop at the shoppe! The other favorite necklace has been, of course, the roses...who can resist?

I'm thinking about doing an open house at the end of November or first of December...Hmmm? Local girls...what do y'all think about that? It would be a cash and carry thing (which means I would have to work my tail off to get my inventory built up :)...great for last minute Christmas shopping. Come and mingle, shop, snack, and share some holiday cheer. I love fun things like that! Maybe I can pull it off.

Me and Cash had a big morning running errands and getting groceries. He is so darn funny...he now recognizes when we are in Fort Smith and asks to go to "Chik Play" -- Chick Filet :) How can I resist? LOL! And though I really don't have the time or patience to sit and watch him play...how can I not...he loves it so much and we have so much fun. Speaking of my little DUDE-el (doodle), check out his scary face...he's still in Halloween mode. LOL!

In other news, I've committed to running a 5k on the 21st. Have I told you this already? Well, accountability is good, friends :) So I'm gonna do it. I've been "training" (such a strong word really) and hopefully I'll be ready by the 21st. I've walked/jogged/ran around this circle in front of my house at least 150 times this last week!!! LOL! I'm thinking I need an exciting new route so tomorrow I will cut across the woods and try something different!

I'm sure I'll be walking a portion of it (the 5k)...but that's okay. That's how I roll :) I'm really REALLY wanting to lost about 15 more lb. by the end of the year, yeah, I know great timing --with the holidays. It's really not about dieting...it's a life change.

Oh, Scott is making me a table for my dining room! I hope it will be done before Thanksgiving...though he's not too optimistic...the chairs I'm sure will take much longer. Maybe I'll make over this brass chandelier like this one. I can't hardly bear to throw out a perfectly good (35 year old :) brass light fixture and replace it with the junk (trust me, I know, I have one in my kitchen dining area!) they sell at Lowes or Home Depot! I think a make over is in order.

Since I moved my crafty space, this room is vacant. And of course, who wouldn't love to have a beautiful new dining room table and chairs!? But who really has a couple grand laying around to buy one...not me! But luckily I've got a hubby with mad skillz. LOL! And he wants to build us a dining room suite. My ears are still ringing from the planer running all evening just outside of the garage...last year, Scott and his brother cut a big, old pecan tree down, took it to the saw mill to be cut/milled, and then he has to work the wood before building with it. He already built Cash's bed, which is priceless...I love it so much. See the walnut rocking chair, he built me that for Valentine's day a few years ago...lots of rocking Cash in that :)

I'll try to keep you posted with the progress of the table. I actually took pictures of the raw boards and hopefully will catch the whole process with the camera. It really is amazing and takes skill and patience. Thank goodness Scott has both!

I suppose that's the update here at Wilsonville! Here's to a great week!

November 03, 2009

Come on over and visit me...at www.whimsyshoppe.com --check it out, pick up some handmade goodness, think about those on your Christmas list...it's time to start holiday shopping! I'd love♥ to hear your thoughts on the shoppe. The website is just a very casual little online liaison to my home studio, which I also refer to as the ever evolving Whimsy Shoppe! I'm sure I will learn what works best, but I have no idea what the demand will be so I am just going to mark items in the shoppe as NOT AVAILABLE if they are sold out (though please email me if there's something you really are interested in).

I just want to thank you for all of my friends who have encouraged me, supported me, loved me, cheered and rooted for me...in doing this and in everything I've done. I got the most wonderful email this morning from one such person...Fran, your email was a God send. Jenny, thank you for reminding me of lessons learned about faith. Tammy...I love you friend. I am so grateful, thankful, blessed and I have just prayed for God's direction in what to do with myself going forward. Oh, scrapbooking will always be a part of me...I am not hanging up my sb-apron, just taking some time to discover all the wonderful, crafty good possibilities. Over the last couple of months, I've enjoyed a slower pace and I've stopped and smelled the roses AND the coffee, been able to re-focus and get my life in good order. God is good and I know he blesses me with these hands that can create handmade goodies with ♥love. Scott always says that he ♥loves things that I make, whether it be his salad at the pizza buffet or something crafty---because they are "♥made with love ♥"...he says it always tastes better when I make it. :) I want you all to know that too...all of my goods are made with love♥ ...for the love of making pretty things, doing a good job, and doing the work that the good Lord meant for me to do.

So get over to the shoppe...lots of eye candy :) Love to hear your thoughts and suggestions here!